Abuja Light Rail to begin operation in December

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has declared that the Abuja Light Rail will commence commercial services in the capital city in December, when the project is estimated to be handed over by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).

FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, disclosed this on Monday at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Chief of Staff, Mandate Secretaries as well as Coordinators of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council and Satellite Town Development Department. He said the light rail project, which was at 50 per cent stage when he assumed office, is currently 98 per cent complete. He said that Abuja residents should expect to ride on the trains by Christmas. He also stressed that airport passengers would be given a choice to either board cabs on arrival or ride on train from the airport train terminus to the Central Business District Central Station.

Musa also described the appointments of the new Mandate Secretaries and political aides as a signal for the commencement of the next phase of the Administration’s developmental initiative. This, he said, would be marked by massive investments in infrastructure in the satellite towns and rural areas. Other areas of priority in this phase, he said, would include education, health and making Abuja a smart city. He therefore, charged the new appointees to immediately get fully acquainted with the direction and priorities of the administration as well as the public service rules and government procurement guidelines in line with the Administration’s zero tolerance to corruption.

The minister also pointed to the significant works that have been done in the three major access ways into the city namely; the Outer Northern and Inner Southern Express Ways as well as the major arterials into the heart of the City, also known as the Constitution and Independence Ways. Some of these, he added, are ready for use by the public while major finishing touches were going on. He stressed the projects were already having significant impacts on the lives of FCT residents and bolstering its economy.